SEC Filings

<PAGE> 274
MARCUS CABLE HOLDINGS, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
(1) ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Marcus Cable Holdings, LLC ("MCHLLC"), a Delaware limited liability
company, was formed in February 1999 as parent of Marcus Cable Company, L.L.C.
("MCCLLC"), formerly Marcus Cable Company, L.P. ("MCCLP"). MCCLP was formed as a
Delaware limited partnership and was converted to a Delaware limited liability
company on June 9, 1998 (See Note 3). MCHLLC and its subsidiaries (collectively,
the "Company") derive their primary source of revenues by providing various
levels of cable television programming and services to residential and business
customers. The Company's operations are conducted through Marcus Cable Operating
Company, L.L.C. ("MCOC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Company
operates its cable television systems primarily in Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana,
California and Alabama.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of
MCHLLC, which is the predecessor of MCCLLC, and its subsidiary limited liability
companies and corporations. All significant intercompany accounts and
transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
On April 23, 1998, Vulcan Cable, Inc. and Paul G. Allen (collectively
referred to as "Vulcan") acquired all of the outstanding limited partnership
interests and substantially all of the general partner interest in MCCLP for
cash payments of $1,392,000 ("the Vulcan Acquisition"). Under the terms of the
purchase agreement, the owner of the remaining 0.6% general partner interest in
the Company (the "Minority Interest"), which represents 100% of the voting
control of the Company, could cause Vulcan to purchase the 0.6% general partner
interest under certain conditions, or Vulcan could cause the Minority Interest
to sell its interest to Vulcan under certain conditions, at a fair value of not
less than $8,000.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not reflect the
application of purchase accounting for the Vulcan Acquisition because the
Securities and Exchange Commission staff challenged such accounting treatment
since, as of December 31, 1998, Vulcan had not acquired voting control of the
Company. On March 31, 1999, Vulcan acquired voting control of the Company by its
acquisition of the Minority Interest for cash consideration.
In connection with the Vulcan Acquisition, the Company incurred transaction
costs of approximately $119,345, comprised primarily of $90,200 of compensation
paid to employees of the Company by Vulcan in settlement of specially designated
Class B units in MCCLP ("EUnit") granted in past periods by the general partner
of MCCLP, $24,000 of transaction fees paid to certain equity partners for
investment banking services and $5,200 of expenses for professional fees. These
transaction costs have been included in the accompanying consolidated statement
of operations for the year ended December 31, 1998.
Effective December 23, 1998, through a series of transactions, Paul G.
Allen acquired approximately 94% of Charter Communications, Inc. ("Charter").
Beginning in October 1998, Charter managed the operations of the Company.
In March 1999, Charter transferred all of its cable television operating
subsidiaries to a subsidiary, Charter Communications Holdings, LLC (Charter
Holdings) in connection with the issuance of Senior Notes and Senior Discount
Notes totaling $3.6 billion. These operating subsidiaries were then transferred
to Charter Communications Operating, LLC ("Charter Operating"). On April 7,
1999, the cable operations of the Company were transferred to Charter Operating
subsequent to the purchase by Paul G. Allen of the Minority Interest.
As a result of the Vulcan Acquisition, the Company recognized severance and
stay-on bonus compensation of $16,034, which is included in Transaction and
Severance Costs in the
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